AKARSH SHEKHAR
BACK FOR THE ATTACK
How To Keep Your Back Safe While Touring
Musicians , especially those that tour continuously and perform in numerous venues tend to always have a lot of load , figuratively and literally , on their back . Deciding what equipment to carry and what to leave behind is always a big challenge . However , one thing is very important , all touring musicians need to keep their backs safe while carrying all that gear around . Remember to always lift with your legs and not your back , that one piece of advice will go a long way in protecting your back .
The most dangerous activity for a touring musician ’ s back is moving the heavy equipment from a vehicle to the cart , dolly , or whatever you ’ re using to get the gear into the building . If you go one step further and carry all the stuff yourself , you need to be even more careful with all the heavy metal . The initial movement of large , heavy , or bulky gear out of your trunk or back seat is probably the most critical and dangerous part of the entire process of moving musical equipment . Taking it back from the venue into the transport vehicle is another critical part of the process . Here are some great tips for every touring musician to take care of their back while moving gear :
STRETCH Don ’ t laugh , stretching is very important . You have likely been sitting in the car , potentially for hours driving to the location . Give your muscles a chance to breathe a little and stretch when you get out of the vehicle . Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart , hands on your hips , and look straight ahead ( don ’ t tilt your head back ). Lean back slowly and gently , hold for about five seconds , and return to the starting position , standing again . Squeeze your glutes ( the “ gluteal ” muscles ) and bend your hips forward . Squeeze your shoulder blades back and together . Take a deep breath and exhale . Then repeat all of that a few more times just in case . It barely takes a minute , but it makes a world of difference .
PLAN AHEAD If you have gear in the back seat , be sure to park where you can fully open the car doors . To limit the amount of push-ups / twists , try to keep things on one side of the car , or take an extra moment to walk to the other side if necessary ( instead of stretching the seat and pulling the gear towards you to get it ). outside the door ).
GET HELP It may take a few more trips , but that ’ s a small sacrifice compared to throwing your back and regretting your attempt to show off your superhuman strength .
BUILD A BRIDGE To take the stress off your back when reaching forward to do something ( the movement is called a “ trunk bend ”), place one hand on a nearby stable surface while extending one leg back slightly for balance . . The key is not to have both feet on par . The construction of a bridge supports and strengthens the upper body and subsequently reduces the load that is placed on the lower back . Once you lift , the closer you can ho ld the load to your body , the better .
WATCH YOUR BODY MECHANICS In particular , minimize twisting while carrying a load . Move your feet so your body is facing towards what you are lifting , after that try to have the location where you are placing the gear perpendicular ( at 90 degrees or even less than 90 degrees ) to where you are starting to be able to minimize the amount of rotation required to complete the transfer . Keep the load as close to your body as possible for the best leverage .
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